Fly
by Yujianlong
Summary: What does flying feel like? To Marco? To Ace..? And what will happen if something changes at this fragile balance between freedom and carelessness? Marco/Ace. Character death, implied yaoi. Don't like, don't read! 'T' to be on the safe side


Welcome!

This story was inspired by all the much too sad Marco/Ace pictures on tumblr.

I was originally up to write a birthday present for Marco, but it turned out so sad that I'll have to write another one. XD

Nevertheless, I like this baby here somehow... Though it hurts me to even read it again...

Disclaimer: All Oda's

Enjoy!

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><p>Flying had always been the most amazing thing for Marco.<p>

He loved his family on the Moby Dick. Sure, some of them were a pain in the ass most of the time, but he loved them. But sometimes he wanted to get some time on his own. Time when he could feel free and alive.

When soaring above the Moby Dick, looking down on the seemingly small ship there was nothing that could weight him down.

Yes, Marco had always loved flying.

And sometimes, on rare occasions he let someone ride on his back. A certain someone, and only him. Some days the loneliness up in the clouds was too much. And the kid hungered for the feeling of freedom.

When Ace had first seen Marco's phoenix form, he went completely crazy. First he wanted to roast and eat the blue bird. This idea was dismissed as soon as he realized who he was up to cook.

Flying while having the fire boy on his back wasn't always easy as Ace constantly fidget around.

Marco needed three attempts before he was able to take off. And he nearly dropped into the sea below when Ace was stretching his arms out instead of holding on for his dear life. After this disaster, the phoenix flew alone again for several months.

It was late in the year, both of them still out after a long and rather boring day. Ace stepped to the railing and looked at Marco. Careful, almost shy, he raised his voice. "Please, let me ride on your back again…"

The small gentle smile on the commander's face had promised another try.

From this day on, they practiced flying properly every other week. Marco still flew alone most of the time, though. Especially as Ace had picked up the odd habit of talking and chattering on for the whole time of their flight.

They had always been the best friends. Together with Thatch, Oyaji always said, there were some kind of a dream team.

It all changed after a long flight in the middle of the night. The people on night watch didn't even bother to lift their heads to check on the duo. They were always alright.

When Ace slid from his back and took a step back, Marco changed.

And somehow they were suddenly a little too close to each other. They might have made it out of the situation all right. But Ace was living after the principle of devil-may-care. He followed his instincts and did whatever he thought best.

Taking a step closer to Marco, he glanced up at the older pirate. Marco didn't back away. It just wasn't in his nature.

The soft, hot lips on his felt almost as good as flying did, almost as free.

Marco had his arms around the other pirate before he could hold himself back. He returned the kiss, deepening it. He licked his tongue along Ace's bottom lip, sucking lightly. The fire boy pressed himself closer to him, responding to the teasing by opening his lips.

Ace dragged him along to the stairs and below deck. The night was young and his blood boiled already. Marco slammed his fellow pirate against the wooden wall of the corridor and kissed him passionately, long before they reached the cabin.

Thatch nearly kicked the door open the next morningm when searching the ship for his two nakamas.

Marco woke up just in time to prevent this damage. "Don't you dare, bastard" His voice a mere snarl and Thatch walked away, grumbling. Ace was still asleep and Marco didn't plan to change this anywhen soon. It was a peaceful picture.

After a few more minutes he carefully got up and went to the kitchen, grabbing two cups of coffee. Thatch gave him this special gaze that let Marco know that the other commander knew perfectly well what happened.

He couldn't know that the day of their last flight together was constantly coming closer.

When landing on the shore of this cursed island no one felt the danger. Not Marco, not Thatch or Oyaji. Had they only known… Finding the damn devil fruit had been the beginning of the end. Marco remembered flying above the island; Ace once more nestled up against his back.

He had dropped the boy on deck of the Moby Dick and took another round on his own, spreading the fiery blue wings. He felt happy. He felt free.

And then everything changed, everything was lost.

Flying had always been the most amazing thing for Marco. And for Ace.

But all this lay in the past, buried with the dead body of the man he loved more than everything; more even than his freedom above the clouds. Marco is standing in front of the huge grave stone, the name of Portgas D. Ace engraved in it.

Blue flames dance along his arms and torso. Then he takes off, spreading his blue wings once more. A broken-hearted cry sends shivers down the waiting pirate's spines. Akagami raises his head and looks up at the sky.

High, high above them a blue bird wheels through the sky. The cry sounds again and rips Shanks heart open. He had not much to do with this crew, more with Whitebeard. But even a blind man would have seen the love between the phoenix and Ace.

Up in the sky, Marco's heart is breaking more and more by the second. Flying held nothing for him anymore. With a last desperate cry he changes back and drops from the sky like a stone. The collision with the ground is not nearly painful enough to block out the pain in his heart.

His devil fruit power heals him in no time, leaving behind nothing but a sore feeling. Shanks is beside him in the blink of an eye and looks at him, his gaze full of sorrow. "Stupid Marco." He can't comprehend anymore. He can't feel.

Flying has become nothing. Not without Ace. Flying alone had been his time to think, to get some peace.

Flying with Ace was freedom. It was all he ever needed to be happy. And he knows that all this is gone and will never come back.

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><p>Read &amp; Review, please - Thanks<p> 


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